2. Discussion of Prior Art
When my first child lost his first tooth at the age of seven, I looked for a small container in which to save it. Finding none on the market, I chose a small cardboard jewelry box. By the time my third child lost his first tooth, I still could find no container specifically designed to collect, store and display his teeth, so I resorted to placing it in a pill bottle.
Additionally, I wanted to find a very small container in which he could put his tooth in order to place it under his pillow for the “tooth fairy”. I decided that since I could not find a container specifically designed to collect, organize and store baby teeth in addition to including a smaller container to hold a single tooth, I would have to invent one myself.
The need exists for a very simple, inexpensive, lightweight collection and storage container specifically designed for storing baby teeth and which includes a receptacle to receive a single tooth for placement under the child's pillow (henceforth called a pillow toothbox). Furthermore, the need exists for a teeth collection container with a storage compartment for the removable pillow toothbox. In addition, the need exists for the invention to include a removable device by which to record the date of each loss. I hope to see this invention on the market by the time my fourth child loses her first tooth.
Prior Art: U.S. Patent Tooth Receiving Receptacles
U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,602 to Anderson et al., 1996 Mar. 26, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,507 to Cruz, 1996 Jun. 4, are kits for enacting the tooth fairy fable, each containing multiple items. They involve a time-consuming effort to retrieve a child's tooth and to accomplish the illusion of the tooth fairy's existence.
Referring to No. 5,522,507, the first preferred embodiment of the kit's tooth storage container shown in FIG. 10 appears to hold only three teeth. The second preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 11 does not have a place on which to enter the date of loss. Additionally, though it closes on a hinge, it has no apparatus for securing closure nor does it have a friction fit. The kits are also much more complex and expensive to manufacture than a single collector box with removable pillow toothbox.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,058 to Dennison, 1990 May 8, is a tooth storage container but it contains no pillow toothbox or device by which to record the date of each loss. Additionally, it is built with a base containing pockets which is then inserted into the container body. This design includes a part which may be eliminated. This design is more complicated than a one-piece mold and adds another step to the manufacturing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,956 to Sims, 1987 Sep. 22, is a tooth storage container which looks like a large set of jaws. It is a relatively complex structure to manufacture.
Additionally, it does not contain a pillow toothbox or a device by which to record the date of each loss.
U.S. Pat. No. D280,781 to Zarganis, 1985 Oct. 1, is a storage case for baby teeth which looks like a giant tooth with wings. Though appropriate for a very young child, the grown teenager would not like to have a very juvenile looking keepsake container displayed on his dresser. If the parent desires to enact the tooth fairy fable, the collected teeth must be stored secretly to maintain the illusion of the tooth fairy's existence. Therefore, the stored teeth and container will not be presented to the child until he has lost all 20 teeth (at least a teenager) and would require a more mature looking keepsake box. This is also the disadvantage of numerous other design patents. A further disadvantage is that the invention does not include a pillow toothbox or device by which to record the date of loss.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,990 to Blanchard, 1997 Apr. 22, is a keepsake holder for baby teeth. However, it is a folded card with pockets for each tooth. This would not be as durable as a solid container of molded plastic. Also, the invention does not include a pillow toothbox.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,819 to Goldberg, 1994 Apr. 19, is a display holder for teeth. It contains no pillow toothbox. Furthermore, it is designed to be hung on the wall; therefore, it is not portable. Also, the record of loss is not removable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,745 to Rose, 1988 Oct. 18, is a tooth storage and display apparatus. It comprises a picture frame with hidden compartments inside. However, it is complicated, costly, large, and comparatively expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, it consists of indentations for items used in the enactment of the tooth fairy fable but contains no pillow toothbox.
Single tooth receiving receptacles in the form of pillows, pouches and dolls exist in the prior art, but they have no multiple tooth receiving/storage receptacle in which to rest. This is a distinct disadvantage. These include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,028 to Brau et al., 1996 Nov. 19, is a cushion for holding a toothbrush and toothpaste and having a pocket to receive a single tooth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,209 to Ortiz, 1991 May 14, is a doll having a pouch to receive a single tooth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,989 to Delson, 1995 Mar. 7, is a castle containing a pouch to receive a single tooth. Without a complementary multiple tooth receiving/storage receptacle, these three prior art references are incomplete.
Prior Art: Summary of U.S. Patent Tooth Receiving Receptacles
There is no known prior art which comprises the combination of a single tooth receiving receptacle (pillow toothbox) stored within a multiple tooth receiving receptacle with a removable device by which to record date of loss.
Prior Art: General Receptacles
Containers with multiple compartments such as those found in craft stores exist in the prior art. These are generally for the purpose of storing sewing or craft supplies. However, the compartments in these containers are too large for storing a single tooth. Additionally, these boxes do not generally include a smaller removable receptacle that would act as a pillow toothbox.
Pill boxes with a plurality of compartments, each with its own lid, exist. However, these compartments are generally designed to hold numerous pills and are, therefore, too large for a single tooth. A pill box with twenty large compartments would be much too large and inconvenient to store tiny baby teeth. Also, a pill box with each compartment having its own lid would be more complex to manufacture. Additionally, pill boxes do not include a smaller removable receptacle that would act as a pillow toothbox.